keller



June 26, 1928. 1,675,273

' J. R. KELLER FEEDING -MOLTEN GLASS Filed May 26. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTH 20am 1?. Mg@

June 26, 1928.

J. R. KELLER FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS June 26, 1928. 1,675,273

J. R. KELLER FEEDI NG MGLTEN GLASS FIG. 12

wam R me@ June 26, 1928.

J. R. KELLER FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS Filed May 26, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet .lune 26, 1928.

J. R. KELLER FSEDI'NG MOLTBN GLAS;

Filed May 26, 192A 5 sheets-sheet INVENTOR Patented June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. KELLER, 0F GLENSHAW, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HARTFORD-EMPIRE l COMP'ANY OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

FEEDING MOLTEN GLASS.

Application ined May 2'6.

My invention relates to the art of feeding molten glass from a container in a succelsion of mold charges of proper weight. shape and condition to he fahricatcd into ware.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective method and apparatus for feeding molten glass whereby the glass shall be delivered from a tank or other container in a continuoufly flowing stream and shall be received in a receptacle provided with means for periodically expelling the glass in discontinuous mold charges of controllable size and shape.

Another object of my invention is to provide a glass feeding system, of the charac ter indl 'ated ahove, wherein the glas shall he effectively mixed during its delivery from the container, therebyv causing the mold charges to be uniform in temperature and consistency.

A further and more specific object ot my invention is to provide a glass feeding system including a receptacle for receiving a continuously flowing stream ot' molten glass.y the receptacle being provided with an impellcr and with a discharge outlet` and the expulsion of the glass from the receptacle being accomplished bv relative horizontal movement of the impeller with respect to the container. The glass is contined during the generation of the expelling pressure, and the force and duration of the prei'sure are regulated to any desired extent for the produc.- tion of mold charges of the desired size and shape. In one embodiment of my invention the impeller is stationary and the receptacle swings in a horizontal are to alternately generate pressure for expelling the gla'ss.y and to relieve such pre`sure for the purpose of interrupting the discharge of glass from the receptacle. In another' embodiment of my invention the receptacle held stationary and the impeller is caused to swing in a hor1- Zonta] are for the saine urposes.

The art of feeding molten glass from tank furnace; oruother containers has developed along two distinct lines. According to one of these, the glass is caused to issue from the furnace in a continuous stream that is received in some sort of cup or other hushanding device which accumulates a mass of the glass and discharges it into a mold and accumulates a further mass while the mold is being removed and replaced by an empty mold. This system, which is coin- 1924. Serial N0. 715.851.

monly termed the stream feeding" system, has the advantage of simplicity. since it is not necessary to provide any moving parts within the receptacle, hut it has the disadvantage that the glass' is received in the accumulating cup, as heretofore employed. in a stream which coils and laps upon itself, and this ceiling and lapping action produces a non-uniform mass which results in imperfections in the finished ware.

The second general sy stem now in usaffor feeding glass from tank furnaces is known as "goh feeding" or suspended charge feeding". The characteristic features of this system are that the glass is delivered from an outlet in a mass which is accumulated and shaped while in freely-hanging suspension. and is then cut otf and falls as a unit into the mold. This system has the advantage that the mold charge is produced and shaped in a single mass, which is completed before it comes in contact with the mold or with any other chilling surface, and at the same time` the chilled skin or enamel which forms on the surface of theglas as soon as it is exposed to the air is not disrupted or infolded at any time during the production of the mold charge. For these reasons the Suspcnded-charge system of feeding is now recognized as being superior to the streamfeeding system.

My present invention aims to combine the simplicity of the streamfecding system with the advantages of the .suspendedcharge feeding system. I carry out this invention hy causing the glass to flow in a continuous stream through a downwardly openinv out let, or over adischarge lip, the stream eing received in a 'receptacle which has a downwardly opening discharge outlet displaced laterally from the outlety through which the glas is delivered from the furnace. While the glass' is in the receptacle it is subjected to a squeezing or pinching action produced rby relative horizontal movement of the receptacle and an impeller contained therein, and this squeezing action forces the glass through the discharge outlet of the receptacle in a mass having a size and shape that depend upon the degree of pressure set up within the receptacle and the time during which such'pressure is applied. These factors are readily adjustable to produce vari ons sizes and shapes of mold charges. After each mold charge is delivered. a retractive impulse is applied to the glass at the discharge outlet of the receptacle, by relative horizontal movement of the impeller, and the receptacle, and this retractive impulse is sufficient to check or reverse the movement ot the glass` through the feeding outlet. The relative movements of the impeller and the receptacle also serve to agitate the glass in the receptacle and mix it thoroughly.

For a further understandin of my invention reference may now be ha to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through the discharge outlets of a glass feeding apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, the section being taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the receptacle and the impeller, the structure above the line 2-2, Fig. 1, being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 1 showing the appearance of the glass during the retracting and accumulating stage;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure shown in the preceding figures, thev 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view similar to a portion of Fig. 8, showing a slightly modified construction;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a modified construction in which the impeller is swungr horizontally, and the receptacle is held stationary;

Fie. 8 is a vertical sectional view, With the impeller and its operating mechanism shown in elevation, of a further modification in which the impeller is swung horizontally and the receptacle is held stationary, the section being taken substantially on the line 8 8 of Fig. f);

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the receptacle and the impeller mechanism shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 10--10 of Fig. 8;

Fig. l1 is a vertical sectional. view taken substantially' on the liuc 11-11 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 12-12 of Fig. fl;

siderable quantity of molten glass. The con tainer 2 is provided with an outlet block 3 in which is formed a downwardly opening discharge outlet 4 through which the glass issues in a vertical column 5.

Supported below the outlet 4 is a receptacle 6 which is composed of refractory material, and may be held in a metal casing 7. The receptacle 6 is provided with a discharge outlet 8, which` as shown, is of downwardly tapering shape and communicates with an opening in a projection 9 which is formed as an extension of the receptacle G. Surround-- ing the projection 9 and secured to the bottom of the metal casing 7 of the receptacle, is a plate 10 having a depending annular flange 11 that fits around a stationary annular support 12 which supports the weight of the receptacle 6 and its attachments, and is mounted upon suitable supports, not shown. A gasket of anti-friction material `may be placed between theplate 'l0 and the support 12, as shown at 13. The receptacle 6 may have the generally triangular shape shown in 2 and 5, the discharge outlet 8 being located near one angle of the receptacle.

For the purpose of oscillating the receptacle o around the axis of its discharge outlet 8. I provide a lever 14 that is secured to the metal casing of the receptacle and is shown as a continuation of the plate 10. The lever 14 is sup orted at its free end on a roller 15 secured to bracket 15 and engaging with a circularly curved track 16 having the center of the outlet orifice 8 as its center of curvature. The lever 14 is pivotall connected at its outer end to a link 17, w ich is connected to suitable means, not shown` for swinging the lever 14 between the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and the position shown in dotted lines in this figure. This swinging movement of the lever 14 acts to swing the receptacle 6 between the full-line position and the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 2.

Supported within the receptacle 6 is a stationary impeller 20` which may be suspended in any suitable manner from the container 2, or from any other convenient stationary support. As shown, the impeller 20 is secured to the under side of a channel 21, which forms part of the iron frame-work for supporting the container 2. A suitable dovetail member 20" is secured to the channel 21 and fits into a dove-tail slot formed in the refractory impeller 20.

The impeller 2() has at one end an extension 22 in which is formed an openinr 23 to receive the descending column of gtlass 5. The impeller also has a depending wall portion 24 and an overhanging portion 25, and the portions 24 and 25 are preferably arranged at about the angle with respect to each other shown in Fig. 3, so as to form a pocket for confining the glass in the manner even retract the which will be described below. At the end of the impeller 26 opposite to the opening 23, the depending wall portion 24 is curved so as to partially surround the discharge out let 8, as shown at 26, Fig. 5. The opposite end of the wall portion 24 is similarly curved, as shown at 27, Fig. 5, so as to partially surround the openin 23.

Fig. 6 shows a modifie construction in which the wall of the receptacle 6 opposite to the impeller 20 is formed with a recess 28, and with an overhanging portion 29, these parts cooperating with the impeller 20 to form a pocket for receiving and contining the glass during the discharge periods.

In the operation of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the glass flows in a continuous stream 5 through the opening 23 of the impeller and into the receptacle 6, where it accumulates in the intervals between the expulsion of mold charges from the rece tacle. ig. 4 shows the glass in the process o being thus accumulated, and this figure also shows the result produced by swinging the receptacle 6 horizontally. 'Ihis movement of t ie receptacle enlarges the pocket between the impeller 20 and the adjacent wall of the receptacle 6, and a reduction in pressure occurs in the space 30 which checks the downward flow ot glass through the outlet 8 and may glass upwardly into this outlet. As the glass continues to fiow into the receptacle, it fills the space 30, either partially or completely, and also flows around theends of the impeller 20 into that portion of the receptacle 6 which lies beyond the impeller 20.

At a time which is properly selected with reference to the accumulation of the glass in the receptacle 6 and with reference to the presentation of a new mold beneath the outlet 8. the receptacle 6 is swung in the opposite direction, or upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. This contracts the pocket 30 and applies a pressure to the glass which is confined in the pocket 30. There are several outlets through which the glass may escape from the pocket 30, but the path of least resistance is through the discharge outlet 8, and consequently the glass issues from this outlet in a de ending mass. During the accumulation o ffl-ass in the receptacle 6 bcfore the receptacle begins to swing, there is a preliminary discharge of glass by gravity through the opening 8. and the glass issuing under the impulse produced by swinging the cup is added to that portion which has first issued by gravity. If the movement of the rezeptac e is so timed as to take place before any substantial quantity of glass has issued by mere gravity flow, and if the rece tacle is given a short and quick movement, t 1e resulting mass or gather of glass below the outlet 8 may have the short and chunky appearance shown at 31, Fig. 1. If, however, a

longer interval of time is provided during which the glass is allowed to flow by gravity, or if the receptacle is swung more slowly, or if both of these adjustments are made, the resulting accumulation or gather may have the more elongated appearanceshown in dotted lines at 32, Fig. 1. After each suspended gather of glass is produced, a mold charge is cut olf by means of shears which are indicated diagrammatically at 33, and the mold charge is received either directly in a mold or upon a chute or trough which conveys it to a mold. lf desired, the glass may be attenuated or necked-in at the severing plane, by causing the retracting movement of the receptacle 6 t0 take place prior to the severing operation, and such an attenuation is shown at 34, Fig. 1.

Fi 7 shows a modified construction, whici diters from that of Figs. 1 to 6 in that the receptacle 36 is held stationary and,- the impeller 40 is oscillated horizontally around the vairis of the discharge outlet'38 of the receptacle 36 and toward and away from the descending stream of glass 5. The impeller 40, as shown, is suspended from a channel member 41 that is in turn suspended from a pivot pin 42 extending through the channel 21 and connected to a lever 43 by means of which the impeller 40 may be swept back and forth to produce alternate increase and decrease in pressure on the glass i the pocket 30 in the same manner as has en described in connection with the device of Figs. 1 to 6. The opening 23 of the impeller 40 in this form is, of course, given dlmensions such as to permit thecontinuous flow of the stream 5 into the chamber 30. In other respects the impeller is constructed substantially in the same manner as the impeller 20 of Figs. 1 to 6, and its corresponding parts are similarly numbered.

Figs. 8 to 12 show a further modification, which resembles the structure of Fig. 7 in that the receptacle-is held stationary and the impeller is oscillated. The structure of Figs. 9 to 12 includes as an additional feature an auxiliary end wall for the impeller which cooperates with the impellei` to form a pocket for confining the glass when the im peller sweeps in one direction and then swings to cooperate with the impeller in a similar manner when the impeller sweeps in the opposite direction.

As shown in Figs. 8 to 12, the rece tacle is .held in a stationary -nietal casilig 51 supported beneath the outletA of a glass container, 'and is provided with a downwardly opening discharge outlet 52. In this instance, the glass is delivered in a column 53 which flows over a lip 54. but the glass may be delivered through an outlet such as the outlet 4 shown in Fig. 1.

In the receptacle 50 is an'oscillating impellcr or sweep 55, which l,is T-shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 1Q, and has a vertical Wall portion 5G and tivo overhanging portions 57. The impeller 55 is suspended )y means of a channel member 58 which in turn is suspended from a pivot pin 59 extending through an openingy in a stationary cover-plate 60. A spur ear (il is secured to the upper end of the pivot pin 59 and meshes with a segmental gear o2 carried by a stub sha tt t to which is secured a lever t-l that is connected by a pin-and-slot connection (i5 to au operating lever titl. 'lhe lever (Sti is rcciprocated lengthwise by means ot suitable operating connections, not shown.

The stub shaft 63 carries, in addition to the segmental gear 62, a gear wheel 67 which is free to rotate on pin 63 and which meshes with a smaller spur gear 68 carried by a vertical stub shaft 69, which extends thro ugh the cover plate 60 and carries at its lower end a Socket member 70 for suspending an oscillating auxiliary wall member 7l. The member 71 has on its upper surface a slightly flaringI projection 'I2 received in the socket mem ber 70, and is also provided With-n depending curved Wall portieri 73. As best shown in Fig. 11, the body of the member 71 overhangs the wall member 73 directly above the discharge outlet of the receptacle 5t).

For the pur ose of oscillating the auxiliary wall mem er 71 around the axis of its supporting shaft 69, I provide a pinion 75 which meshes with the gear Wheel 67 and is carried by a vertical shaft 76 driven by suitable power connections, not shown.

The oscillation of the auxiliary wall member 71 is timed to take place after the completion ot each discharge of glass and during the next succeeding oscillation of the impellcr The auxiliary Wall member prefprably moves somewhat more quickly than the impeller 55 and is thus brought into proper position to cooperate with the impeller 55 as the impeller delivers the next impuls-e to the glass. The auxiliary member 71 thus receives the initial impulse ap lied to the glass hy the impeller 55 and orms a wall which prevents the escape of the glass trom the pocket between the impeller and the wall ot' the receptacle during the application of the cxtrusive pressure.

'hcn the iinpcller 55 and the wall member T1 are in thc full-line position shown in Fig. 10. they cooperate to form a pocket con'uuunicktting with the discharge opening 8, and when they are swung to the opposite position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1t), they cooperate in a similar manner to form a pocket on the opposite side of the receptacle 51). This form ot' my device thus operates to feed :i charge of glass through the discharge outlet ot' the receptacle cach time that the impeller 50 sweeps from side to side, instead of once during each alternate movement of the impcllor or the receptacle, as in the device ot Figs. 1 to 7.,

lit will bc seen on Figs. 9 and 1() that the vertical wall portion 5b' of the in'ipellcr 55 tapers from its outer end to its inner end whihl the overhanging tiange portions 5T of the inipeller taper in the opposite direction.

It will also he observed that the pocket 77 which. as shown in Fig. 10, is formed between the iinpcllcr 55 and the Wall of the receptacle, tapers outivardly from the dis charge outlet 52. By reason of this tapering shape of the pocket, the outer end of thc pocket begins to close inunediateiy when the impellcr passes the longitudinal center oi the receptacle. This prevents any tendency of the glass to build up adjacenty to the fio or movable end of the impcller7 and caf* 'es the entrapped in the pocket 'TT to tend to move toward the outlet In the operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 8 to 12, the glass flows in a continn nous stream into the receptacle aty the end of the receptacle opposite to the discharge outletv 8. When the impeller gearing is set in motion, the impeller 55 sweeps from side t0 side in the receptacle, thereby agritatin;y the glass in the receptacle and thus assisting in causing the glass to be uniform in temperl ture and consistency when it is discharged through the opening 8. As the impeller approaches the wall of the receptacle. 50 in either direction.` it confines a portion of the glass in the pocket formed by the overhangin ing portion 57 and the wall portion 56 of the impeller, and applies a progressively in creasing pressure to the confined glass, `which operates to force the glass through the dis charge opening 8 at a rate proportional to the speed of movement of the .impeller. i

Each swinging movement of the impeller is accompanied by a partial revolution of the auxiliary Wall member 717 this auxiliary member being thus brought into position to cooperate with the impeller 55 when the impeller swee s in either direction. so as 'to assist in con ning the glass and forcing it to issue through the opening 8.

In 13 of the drawing I have shown a modified device which is similarto the construction shown in Figs. 9 to 12. with the dil'erence that the auxiliary end wall is so arranged as to be lifted after it completes each oscillation. and this lifting movement is utilized to assist the retraction ot the glass at the outlet ot the receptacle. As in Figs. 8 to 12, this device includes a receptacle 50, femasing 51, a discharge outlet 52, a horizontally swinging impeller, not shown, and an auxiliary Wall member '71". The lower end of the auxiliary member T1 is formed with a lateral extension 79 which, when the member 71a is swung upon the axis of the shaft 80, covers the discharge outlet 52. The

support i702 from which ,auiijili'arygni'ein bar .71 is-suspendedis carried by a `vertical Shaft 80 which carries at its i'ippe'rend a vare' so. timed that when the member 71 is swung upon the axis ofthe shaft 80, to cover theoutlet 52, themember 71, is lifted, thus producing a suction at the outlet 52 which assists the retractive action of the main iinpeller in arresting the Adischarge of glass through the outlet 52, or producing an upward movement of the glass at tlieoutlet if such upward movement is desired. The member 7.1 is then lowered and at the same time isfrotated in the reverse direct-i011 to bringit;v to the position shown in Fig. 13, Where 'the outlet 52 is again uncovered. Du'ng .this rising and falling movementl of: heinember 71, the main impeller swings away from the side of the receptacle, and when the auxiliary member 71 has returned to the position shown in Fig. 13, the iinpeller again sweeps'in the glass-discliar ing direction, thus accumulatin and disc iarging the glass in the manner escribed above in connection with Fig. 7 and Figs; 8 to 12.

-It will be noted that the apparatus of Fig. 13 produces a discharge of glass once for each alternate movement of the impeller, the

' outlet being covered by the auxiliary member 71 during the reverse movements of the impeller. This form of my device may be `further modified by holding the main impellei` stationary, and swinging the receptacle 50, asin the device of Figs. 1 to 6. y

I have shown and described some of the constructions which are Well adapted for carrying out my invention, but it will.be understood that various-changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from my iiiveiition, and I therefore desii'e that no Alimitations be imposed upon my invention ex-` cept such as are indicated in the appended claims. i

I claim as my invention 1. The method of feeding molten glass, that comprises placing the glass in a receptacle having a. downwardly opening discharge outlet, and also having a. stationaryr impelling member in Acontact with the glass in said receptacle and oscillating said receptacle around the axis of said discharge outlet, thereby causing the glass to issue periodically from said outlet.

2. The method of feeding molten glass,

that comprises causing the glass to flow in a continuous stream into a receptacle llavn a discharge outlet said rece tacle also h eontainng a stationary iinpelling member,

and oscillating said receptacle around the airisI of` said' discharge outlet, v thereby fore.' ingglass periodically through said discharge outlet', Y -l Y 3. Glass feeding apl'iaratus comprising a. receptacle havingr a downwardly opening discharge outlet, an iii'ipclling member extending into =said receptacle, and means for moving one of said members about a vertical pivot. Y

4. Glass/feeding apparatuscomprising a receptacle'movable about a vertical' axis and having-a downardly opening discharge outlet, means for introducingr a stream of molten glass into said receptacle at a point laterally displaced from said outlet, an iinpclling member extending into said receptacle, and means for producing relative horizontal pivotal movement between said receptacle and Said inipc'lling member.

5. Glass feeding apparatus comprisingr a receptaelejliaving a downwardly opening discharge outlet, an ii'npelling member extending into said receptacle,vand means for swinging one of said members horizontally with respect vto the other and around the axis of said discharge outlet.

G. Glass feeding apparatus coinprisin a receptacle having a downwardly opening discharge Outlet, an impelliiig member extending into said receptacle, andineans for oscillating said receptacle around the axis of said discharge outlet.

7. Glass feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle of generally triangular form having a downwardly opening discharge outlet near one ot' its angles, an impelling member extending into said receptacle, and means for producing relative oscillating movement between said impelling member and said receptacle around the axis of said discharge outlet.

8.A Glass feeding apparatus comprising a receptacle of generally triangular form having a downwardly opening discharge outlet near one of its angles, an impelling meniber extending intov said receptacle, means for producing relative oscillating movement between said impelling member and said receptacle around the axis of said discharge outlet, and means for introducing a stream of molten glass into said receptacle :it a point laterally displaced from said discharge outlet.

9. Glass-feeding apparatus coniprising a receptacle, an iinpelling member extending into said receptacle. and means for producing relative oscillation between said receptacle and'sai'd impelling member, tlie said impelling member being provided with a vertical wall portion and with an overhanging portion forming a pocket for confining a. portion of the. glass when said iinpelling into said receptacle, means for producing relative oscillation between said receptacle and said impelling member, the said impelling member being provided with a vertical wall portion and with an overhanging portion forming a pocket for confining a portion of the glass whenl said impelling member approaches a Wall of said receptacle, and areccss formed in a wall of said receptacle and adapted to cooperate with said impeller in confining the glass.

11. Glass feeding ap aratus comprising a receptacle having a own'wardly opening discharge outlet, an impclling member disposed in said receptacle, means for producing relative horizontal swinging movement between said receptacle and said impeling member around the axis of said discharge outlet, and means for introducing a stream of molten glass into said receptacle at a point displaced from said discharge outlet, the said impelling member being provided with an opening to admit said stream and -)having glasscontrolling vertical surfaces that partially surround .said discharge outlet and' the entering stream of glass.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 2nd day of May, 1924.

.JOHN R. KELLER, 

